Event Comment: Benefit for Ryan. Income: #51 12s. 6d. in money; #99 15s. in tickets. A Free Benefit. Advanced to Servandoni #5 5s. Receipts: #151 7s. 6d

Event Comment: HHarlequin Ranger oblig'd to be deferr'd. A new Dramatic Entertainment call'd Taste written by Mr Foote. The House was full as soon as open--before the first Music, several Speeches were made in ye Pit, moving the Farce might be acted before the Play, wch was insisted on by some, & oppos'd by others Cross, Cross, Prompter &c. was often call'd--The Curtain went up, & ye Clamour encreas'd, ye farce &c. Mr Mossop (who did Zanga ) came off--I went on, & spoke--Gentlemen, I perceive the farce has been desir'd before ye Play, wch cannot be comply'd with, for ye performers in ye Farce, having nothing to do in the Play, are not come--a great applause follow'd--Mr Mossop went on again--but ye noise renew'd, & he retir'd again, & wanted to undress wch I prevented; Mr Lacy (Manager) then went on, # spoke to ye same effect I had done--The play was then call'd for, & it went on with Applause--Tho' I believe Audience wish'd it over--The play done--Mr Garrick spoke ye Prologue in the Character of an Auctioneer , with surprising Applause--when he had done, he made this Apology--Gents--a performer being taken ill, the Author, Mr Foote, is here & will if you please, perform his part, this he spoke in a Hesitating manner, & was greatly applauded--the first Act went off well, & Mr Worsdale, a painter (to whom Mr Foote had given the profits of the farce) play'd a Woman's part, & was greatly received--When Mr Foote came on--he made this Speech--Gent: I have left the Stage some time, nor have I any hopes of Profit from this Piece, but as a performer is taken ill, I had rather appear my self, than have so many people, whom Curiosity has drawn together, b disappointed--Great Applause--In ye Second Act, the people grew Dull, & towards ye End, hiss'd greatly, wch I believe wou'd not have been, had not Mr Foote, bid Blakes pull off his Wig at ye Discovery of Mr Puff --vide Farce--it ended with ye usual Noise, when given out, of No more--Encore &c. &c. Sunday we had great debates about it, & at last it ended it shou'd be play'd no more 'till Mr Worsdale's benefit & an advertisement was put in the paper to signifie that as ye Farce was not so well receiv'd as was expected, the Author had withdrawn it to Alter &c. &c. we put up--We were told on Monday it wou'd be call'd for by the Audience; but no such thing happen'd. The fact concerning the performer's being taken ill is this--At ye practise, the Night before, Mr Foote seem'd dissatisfied with Mr Yates in the part of Puff, so got Mr Garrick next Day, to prevail with Mr Yates to let 'em say he was sick, that Mr Foote might have occasion to do the part (Cross). Mr Goodfellow begs leave to acquaint his friends that through the Indisposition of two of his principal performers, he is compelled to postpone his Benefit to a farther Day; Timely notice of which shall be given in this paper; Tickets deliver'd out for Monday the 13th Instant will then be admitted.--As the sole intent of this Benefit is to satisfy his creditors, who are to share the profits arising from it, he humbly hopes to meet with encouragement, and assures those ladies and Gentlemen who honour him, that the whole performance shall be carried on with the utmost decorum, and will be free from all danger of interruption (General Advertiser). Receipts: #200 (Cross)

Event Comment: To begin exactly at 6:00 o'clock. Boxes 5s. Pit 3s. Gallery 2s. Upper Gallery 1s. Places for the Boxes to be had of Mr Varney at the Stage door. [Repeated throughout the season.] Ye Naturalizing Bill having made some Noise against the Jews, some people call'd out for ye Merchant of Venice, & a Letter was thrown upon ye Stage desiring that play instead of the Opera, but we took no Notice of it, some little hissing but it dy'd away (Cross). [Sometime in the calendar year 1753, Lacy and Garrick drew up a mortgage on the Drury Lane property for #10,000, to be amortized to James Clutterbuck over a period of twenty-one years at the rate of #4 per acting night, and permission to grant free seats in any part of the theatre (except the stage, scenes and orchestra) to forty persons. These latter to be named and seats assigned ten days prior to the opening of any season. This thirteen-page document, which describes accurately the bounds of the 13,134 square feet of land on which the ten buildings comprising Drury Lane Theatre stood, contains protective clauses for Clutterbuck, to the effect that Garrick and Lacy will exhibit nowhere else in London without the #4 nightly payment and for Garrick and Lacy, to the effect that arrears in payment could be collected solely from Drury Lane property, and not from the individual incomes of the mortgagees. It was not signed, so apprently was not executed. (See Havard, Collection of Documents dealing with affairs of Drury Lane, No 2, fMS, Thr 12.)] Receipts: #150 (Cross)

Event Comment: At the chapel of the Foundling Hospital. [Beard and Ch. Smith gave their services free. Deutsch notes that this is the first list of Messiah performers preserved at the Foundling Hospital. The treasurer of the Hospital recorded receipts from 1,219 tickets and by cash-#666 15s. and an outlay of #58 17s. 6d., for Musicians, singers, constables, &c. Net to Hospital: #607 17s. 6d.

Event Comment: Benefit for raising money towards cloathing Friendless and Deserted Boys for the Sea. [The Prologue and Epilogue were printed in the Public Advertiser the following day. The Prologue, written by Derrick, very Patriotic and anti-Gallic. In the Epilogue, written by Mr Lockman, Secretary of the Free British Fishery, Shuter as Boatswain followed by a "considerable number of the Boys" for Britain to maintain rule of the Waves. Finances for this evening appeared in the Public Advertiser on 24 Dec.] @Cash at the House #185 4s.@Tickets 137 16s.@#323@Deductions: @Expense of Play #84@Building on stage 3 13s. 6d.@Present to Treasurer 1 1s.@Prologue 2 2s.@Total #90 16s. 6d.

Event Comment: [M+Mercury Harlequin seems to have been the afterpiece. The Public Advertiser carried the following notice under news from London: "Mr Garrick was prevented from appearing in the character of Chamont last night, by a sudden and violent Indisposition, but we hear that he is better, tho' not quite free from pain."] Receipts: #120 (Cross)

Event Comment: Benefit for the Lying In Hospital, Aldersgate St. Receipts: #76 15s. Income from Tickets #80 11s. (boxes 114; pit 273; gallery 111). Charges #84 (Account Book). Tomorrow the First Part of King Henry IV. [A long plea for attendance at this performance appeared in the Public Advertiser: "It affords me the greatest satisfaction when I peruse your paper, and find so many advertisements for charitable Benefits at the Theatres; which must greatly add to the Entertainment of the Stage, when we are sensible that the profits are to be appropriated towards the relief and support of the Indigent and distress'd; for the refief of whom, it must (at the same time it gives us secret pleasure) raise the astonishment of foreigners to see so many charitable piles raise their benevolent roofs in and about this great Metroplis. Amongst which I must beg leave to recommend to the Public, the City of London Lying In Hospital in Aldersgate Street (for the Benefit of which the Play of the Conscious Lovers will be performed this evening at Covent Garden); whose charitable doors have been opened for the relief of a much greater Number since the late dearth of Provisions, than its Annual Income (being supported by voluntary contributions) can possibly support, without further aid from the Public." The plea continues by emphasizing the need for expert and tender care for pregnant women, and by pointing out the satisfaction British sailors will have in knowing their wives may be delivered in this hospital.] [The Occasional Prologue (Written by Mr Lockman, Secretary to the Society of Free British Fisheries) was published in the Public Advertiser on 16 Dec.: @"Not sweeter Joy the wond'ring Indian feels,@When his far dazzling Glory Sol reveals@Than warms my heart at this auspicious Sight,@The splendid Audience of this cheerful night."@ Much emphasis on the misery of child-bearing, yet the need for a large population "to a commercial land." Also included was the Epilogue, by Lockman, "Intended for Mrs Hamilton," ending, "May each youth, here, breathe Bevil's gen'rous flame@Each virgin merit Indiana's fame."

Event Comment: A Free Benefit for Ryan. Mainpiece: Not acted these 4 years. [See 3 April 1756.] Written by the late Mr Hughes. [For Afterpiece, see note.] Receipts: Door, #87 7s. Tickets #121 17s. (boxes 267; pit 286; gallery 122). (Account Book). [Ryan had advertised his benefit on 15 March to be The Siege of Damascus and a new Dramatic Satire called The Anniversary, being a Sequel to Lethe. On 16 March the following letter appeared in the Public Advertiser: "Upon reading Ryan's advertisement of a New Dramatic Satire, I was extremely pleas'd with a Description of the motive that occasioned it. He being last week at dinner with a set of particular friends, they inquired what Play and Farce he had chose this year for his Benefit. He inform'd them the Siege of Damascus and Lethe. Lethe, replied a Gentleman is very pleasing, but your friends have seen it, and you must fall into the fashion of having a new additional Scene; for a little bit of novelty may give assistance to its merit, and prove to your advantage. Why, then, said a facetious Gentleman, who sat very near him, Pray sir, do you write him one; 'twill cost you little trouble, and, you know, you are very capable. No more capable than yourself, Good Sir, answered the other; but to show I am full as willing, if you'll attempt to please his friends with one, upon my word I'll use my best endeavor to do the same, in writing of another. We need not fear Severity, for none will blame a friendly inclination to serve a man, who, I believe everyone wishes well. "Twas agreed, but Ryan judiciously observed, 'twould be a shame that two Gentlemen, each capable of writing to give an audience satisfaction, should condescend to make mere Lacqueys of their pens, and send them forth to hold the tail of Lethe; therefore if they should once begin, let them each write only one Hour longer, and they might raise a Structure of their own. They kindly undertook it, and in a Week sent him the piece he has now advertised."

Event Comment: TThe London Chronicle for 1758 (p. 455): On Friday the 3rd instant was presented Coriolanus. The two first acts of this play, as it is performed at the above theatre, were written by Shakespear; the three last for the most part by Mr. Thomson. But how a man of Mr Sheridan's knowledge (who first introduc'd it there about four years ago) could think of pounding into one substance two things so heterogeneous in their natures as the productions of those authors, is to me amazing. Mr Smith enters in the first act, after having (as we are to suppose) just overcome the Volsci, to the tune of violins and hautboys; but I am a little afraid the grandeur of his triumph is a little misapplied, considering the early times in which Coriolanus lived, before the Roman empire had arrived to any degree of splendor and magnificence, and was great in virtue only. However it makes a fine show; and Mr Smith, who has an excellent person, by the help of a little burnt cork and a real coat of mail cuts a very martial appearance. I think it was one of the Gracchi, who, when he was speaking to the people, always had a servant behind him in the Rostrum with a pitch-pipe which he touched whenever he found his master's voice rising beyond a certain height; such an instrument as this would, in my opinion, be of service to Mr Smith, for his fault seems to be that of keeping too much at the top of his vioce. Mrs Hamilton in the part of Veturai, especially in the last act, excells herself; and in particular, she repeats that line: "He never can be lost who saves his country," with the genuine spirit of a free-born Englishman. By the unnatural conjunction which is attempted to be made in this tragedy, most of the other characters are robbed of their significance. Those two excellent actors, therefore, Ryan and Sparks, only give us just cause to regret that the parts of Tullus and Volscius are not longer....After the play was presented a Ballad Opera called The Contrivances; in which some good comedians are oblig'd to submit to the drudgery of supporting as contemptible a trifle as ever was acted on the stage

Event Comment: Receipts: #224 18s. 6d. Advanc'd to Mrs Ward #20. Paid Sarjant on acct of salary #5; Paid Ridout one third of the surplus of this night's receipt being #144 18s. 6d. than the #80 allow'd for the charge: #48 2s. 6d. This morning I was at Mr Shadwell's for his Orders [for free theatre tickets] & took all my sisters to Covent Garden Gallery to see the Jovial Crew & Rape of Proserpine, which was full of noisy holiday people (Hailey, Brietzcke Diary, Vol. 197, p. 544)

Event Comment: A Burletta, Benefit for Sg & Sga Paganini, [Who] being desirous of returning to Italy...take this Opportunity to express their most grateful Sense of the many Favours with which they have been honoured in this Kingdom; and being willing that the Necessitous should share in that Bounty which they owe more to the Generosity of the English Nation than to their own Merits, they have allotted a fourth part of the Profits which may arise from the above Burletta (free from all Expense whatever) towards the carrying on and extending the Utility of the Asylum or House of Refuge for Female Orphans...and another Part of the aforesaid Profits will be given towards relieving old Signor Cataneo, who, during forty Years was useful to the Operas, but is now in extreme Distress; and the Manager, who is at the Expence of this Benefit, has chearfully consented to the Disposition here mentioned. As it is intended to apply the whole Profits which may arise from letting out the Servants Gallery [at 2s. 6d. each person] for the Benefit of the Asylum, over and above what was before alloted to it, 'tis humbly hoped that the Nobility, Gentry, etc. will not take it amiss if their Servants are not admitted that Night, as has been the Practice at this Theatre on Occasions of Charity. Tickets will delivered out for this Benefit, this day at the Opera Office, and signed by Mr Crawford, and all Monies given for Tickets above their usual Price, is to be shared in the Charity abovementioned. Tickets delivered for 23 March will be taken

Event Comment: The Characters in the Mainpiece New Dress'd. Neville MS Diary: At 6, went into the Pit...House not very full. King John was performed with new Dresses and Decorations. Powell and Smith are good in York and the Bastard, and Mrs Bellamy in Constance....The entertainment was the procession of the Coronation, with the ceremony of the Champion. Every truly free soul, on seeing a representation of such extravagant pageantry, must abhor that form of Government, of the superfluous trappings of which it is but a small specimen. Receipts: #91s. (Account Book)

Event Comment: MMiss Morris was a pupil of Mr Colman's--She was very much approved by the public in the character of Juliet. On the sixth night of her appearance on the stage she was taken ill, and died before the end of this season. See the Bill for her Benefit (Hopkins MS Notes). Afterpiece: Not acted these 6 years. [See 19 May 1762.] [The Occasional Prologue, by Colman, is Larpent MS 288, which introduces Miss Morris as Juliet, and stresses the qualms and fears of a new performer.] Receipts: #227 19s. 6d. (Account Book). Lloyd's Evening Post, 28-30 Nov.: Sir: The managers of both theatres have of late, in order to put a stop to the Public complaint against a dearth of actors, given trials to several stage candidates that seemed to have any promising requisite. Such experiments have not proved fruitless. The most brilliant and interesting of which was the young lady's appearance on Covent Garden Theatre last night, in the character of Juliet. So great was her terror, on presenting herself for the first time before a crowded audience, that, deprived of all her powers, she fell down on the stage in a swoon. The first act in consequence, was all terror on her side, all compassion and anxiety on that of the audience. But having had time between the first and second Acts to recover from her panic, she shone forth in the Balcony Scene the most pleasing promise of a young tragic actress that has been seen for half a century past, and continued so throughout. Her person is genteel, her tone of voice insinuating, variable, and melodious; her recitation is just and sensible; very affecting in the pathetic parts; condescending, free, and polite are the familiar speeches with the Nurse. She is happily devoid of all stage whine, and tragedy Cant. The manner she has been rudimented in does great honour to her instructors, who have so judiciously prevented the so excellent actor of this verily a Shakespeare's Juliet, from being sophisticated by the studied tricks, and false ornamenting of mistaken modern and degenerate art

Event Comment: New Overture and Pieces of Music Between the Acts. Music by Barthelemon. New Scenes, Habits and Decorations. The Scenes designed by DeLoutherberg, and painted by Messrs French, Royer, and Greenwood. Books of the songs and Chorusses to be had at the Theatre. This piece is got up in a most Superb manner. The Scenery is beyond description fine -& the whole Performance tho' the most complicated upon the stage went off with uncommon Applause. Mrs Abington played finely--Mr Slingsby & Sga Hidou danc'd for the first time & were Amazingly well Rec'ed. The Ballets are very Grand (Hopkins Diary). [MacMillan's note from Kemble differs slightly in wording.] Rec'd stopages #17 18s.; Paid salary list #567 16s.; J. French on Acct #5 5s. (Treasurer's Book). Mainpiece: Never performed before, by John Burgoyne. [The review in the Westminster Magazine, Nov. 1774, tells the plot, and concludes: "After some superb exhibitions of transparent scenery, several characteristic airs, and elegant dances, Mr Oldworth...proclaims Maria his only daughter and gives her to Sir Harry. After a dance of Cupids, Hymen, &c....offering them eternal wreaths, the Druid of the Oaks, freed by the present powers of Beauty from that sequestered habitation to which by mystic spells he had long been doomed, appears to ratify their union, and astonishes the spectators by his magic influence, in a glorious vision of that felicity the virtues of the happy pair had so justly insured. An admirable vaudeville, and a grand dance, conclude the dramatic entertainment....Had it not appeared obvious that the whole was intended as a mere vehicle for the splendid spectacle, we do not suppose, in spite of the managers Orders and Puffs, that the author's labors would have been tolerated. The very excellent scenery, however, of the ingenious Mr Loutherbourg preserved this piece from that damnation, which as a dramatic production, it justly merited."] Receipts: #263 14s. 6d. (Treasurer's Book)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Catley. Public Advertiser, 3 Oct.: Tickets to be had of Miss Catley, No. 12, Cockspur-street. Receipts: #297 13s. (187.19; tickets: 109.14) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Catley. No Part of the Pit can on any Account be laid into the Boxes. Public Advertiser, 3 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Catley at Wilson's, Watchmaker, No. 150, Drury-Lane. Receipts: #302 3s. (209.13; tickets: 92.10) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Woodward. Tickets delivered for Every Man in His Humour, March 18th, and for this Day, will be admitted. Public Advertiser, 7 Apr.: Tickets to be had of Woodward, Chapel Street, Grosvenor Place, Hyde-Park Corner. Receipts: #204 10s. (168.15; tickets 35.15) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for a Fund, for the Relief of those who from their Infirmities shall be obliged to retire from the Stage. Prelude [1st time; M. PREL 1, by David Garrick, and others. In a synopsis of the plot the London Chronicle assigns Bannister; it lists the names of the other performers and, separately, their parts. The assignments given above are my own conjecture. Not in Larpent MS; the composer of the vaudeville written by Garrick is unknown]. The Words of the Songs will be given at the Theatre. Ladies and Gentlemen are requested to come early, to prevent Confusion. And to send their Servants by Five o'clock to keep the Places. Receipts: #217 8s. 6d. (100.9.0; 25.14.6; 0.0.0; tickets: 91.5.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Leoni. Public Advertiser, 19 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Leoni, No. 34, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields. Receipts: #234 8s. 6d. (174.19.6; tickets: 59.9.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Receipts: #153 11s. 6d. (115.13.0; 37.12.0; 0.6.6) (orders and free: #32 17s.)

Event Comment: Benefit for Mrs Abington [who is named in the Account-Book, but not on the playbill]. Receipts: #156 10s. 6d. (115.13.0; 40.3.6; 0.14.0; tickets: none listed) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Catley. Public Advertiser, 10 Mar.: Tickets to be had of Miss Catley, No. 115, Jermyn-street, St. James's. Account-Book, 3 Apr.: Paid Miss Catley in full for salary to 31st March #210. Receipts: #290 4s. 6d. (209.7.6; tickets: 80.17.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for a Fund for the Relief of those who from their Infirmities shall be obliged to retire from the Stage. The Doors to be opened at 5:00. To begin (for that night only) at 6:00. Receipts: #236 4s. 6d. (129.19.0; 25.2.6; 1.8.0; tickets: 79.15.0) (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Macklin. Receipts: none listed (charge: free)

Event Comment: Benefit for Miss Catley. Public Advertiser, 15 Feb.: Tickets and Places for the Boxes to be had of Miss Catley, No. 115, Jermyn-street. Receipts: #303 7s. (200.13; tickets: 102.14) (charge: free)